Shaker Aamer, the last British resident now held for 13 years without charge in the US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba is to be released, both the US Department of Defence and the UK Government have confirmed.

Shaker Aamer, 46, who has been in the military prison in Cuba since 2002, has never been charged or been on trial. He has twice been cleared for release since 2007, by US presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama.

A Saudi national, Mr Aamer has permission to live in the UK indefinitely because his wife is British. They have four children and live in London.

He was detained in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2001 and US authorities alleged he had led a unit of Taliban fighters and had met former al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden. Mr Aamer has maintained he was in Afghanistan with his family doing charity work.

Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen said: “Let's not forget that his 13-year ordeal at Guantanamo has been an absolute travesty of justice.

“Shaker Aamer is the last UK resident to finally get out of Guantanamo and his return to Britain brings a long, painful chapter to a close.”